LETTER: Code must be updated

Our organization works on many levels to ensure the safety of school children. One method we employ is to lobby the state Legislature on issues we believe are most important to our children and members. In that light, there is an issue we need assistance with to keep our children safe.

Current law requires that every person hired as a school bus driver pass a criminal background check. Such background checks are conducted pursuant to Section 509 (cc) of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, which enumerates a variety of crimes which can disqualify an individual from driving a school bus, either permanently or for a prescribed period of time. This is a vital step in ensuring that our children are safe.

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However the list of Penal Code violations enumerated in Section 509 (cc) has not been updated since 1986. This means that a person hired as a school bus driver would be qualified through the background check even if they were convicted of: sexual misconduct; rape in the third degree; sexual abuse in the first and second degrees; course of sexual conduct against a child in the first and second degrees; use of a child in a sexual performance; promoting an obscene sexual performance by a child; possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child; promoting sexual performance by a child; vehicular manslaughter second degree; reckless assault of a child; unlawful dealing with a child first and second degrees; disseminating indecent materials to a minor first degree; possessing a sexual performing by a child; aggravated assault upon a person less than 11 years old; predatory sexual assault against a child and predatory sexual assault.

This is not an all inclusive list of the crimes which should be included, but only a small example to demonstrate why the list of Penal Code violations enumerated in Section 509 (cc) must be updated. I encourage every concerned person to contact their legislative representatives and demand that this issue be addressed. This must be done, for the safety of our children.